button



. (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

J.B. DUTTON. GRAIN METER.

, No. 367,097. Patented'Juiy 26, 1887.

law/

"(Nd Moder.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. B. BUTTON.

GRAIN METER.

Patented July 26, 1887.

N. Pcmzs, mmmm n m, Wuhington. ac

UNITED STATES PATENT Orriciz.

JOSEPH BISHOP DUTTON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE J. B. DU'TTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GRAIN-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,097, dated July 26, 1887.

Application filed April 21, 1887.

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnPH BISHOP Du'r- TON, of Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented new and use ful Improvements in Grain-Meters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

IO This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in automatic grain-n1eters.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the mechanism for automatically closing and opening the gates or doors at the inlet and discharge of the weighing-receptacle, in the construction and arrangement of the devices whereby the discharging-doors are locked against accidental opening, in the construction and arrangement of an automatic feed mechanisnuand in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved grain-meter. Fig. 2 is a similar view as in the act of discharging grain. Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing arrangement oflocking devices. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective 0 of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the locking mechanism.

I Fig. 6 is asectional end elevation showing'application of the automatic feed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, A represents a weighing-receptacle,whichis suspendedwithin a suitable frame upon the ends of the bifurcated scale-beam B, the latter being fulcrumed, as at G, in proper bearings,a, on the support- 0 ing-frame, and this scale-beam is provided with an adjustable weight, D.

Eis a stationary hopper supported by the frame, the lower-end of such hopper projecting into the mouth of the receptacle A. In this 5 hopper are placed the cut-off valves or gates F, secured upon rock-shafts F, said rockshafts extending to one end of the receptacle and carrying upon their ends the crank-arms I. These crankarms are connected to the sliding bar-K by means of the connectingrods Serial No. 235,602. (Noinodeld J, the said sliding bar K having a vertical movement in the anti-friction guide-bearings L, secured to the end of the receptacle.

G are hinged doors to control the dischargeopening in the bottom of the receptacle, and said doors are provided with counter-weights H.

M are connectingrods which connect the doors G with the sliding rod K. v

N is a trigger or detent pivotally secured between lugs b, projecting laterally from the re'- ceptacle, and is actuated by a spring, 0, to in sure an engagement of the detent with one of the notches O in the sliding bar.

P is a stop adj ustably secured to the frame of the device. to release the detent automatr cally at the vertical drop of the loaded recep tacle.

Q is a receiving-hopper,over which the me ter is placed, and is designed to convey the grain to the rolls of the mill. This hopper is provided with a gate or valve, R, which carries a counter-weight, T. The gate R is actuated by a rod, S, which connects said gate with the sliding bar K. '75

In practice the cut-off valves and doors G are so timed in their movements that when the former are opened the latter are closed, as the receptacle fills from any source of supply above thehopperE. Nhentherequiredamount to overcome the weight D has entered the receptacle, the latter gradually drops in a vertical line,and in so dropping the valves F are closed, shutting off the supply. As the receptacle descends, and after the valves F have been closed, the detent N comes in contact with the stop 1? and releases the detent from its engagement with the sliding bar K, allowing the doors G to be opened by the weight of the grain, which is discharged into the hopper Q 9 of the feed mechanism or other receptacle provided for the purpose. The receptacle A now resumes its elevated or original position; but the valves F are compelled to remain closed until the grain is dischargechand the doors G are closed by their counter-weight. As the doors G are closed, the valves F are opened through the action of the connections named, while at the same time the detent again engages with the sliding bar K, to retain the valves and doors in their relative positions until again released by the dropping of the receptacle.

This stop P is slotted vertically, and through this slot passes the set-screw p, by means of which the stop may be adjusted vertically, so that the detent will be actuated thereby sooner or later, as may be desired, for the purpose of causing the doors G to be opened by a less or greater amount of grain, as may be desired.

It will readily be seen that as the doors of the weighing-receptacle are opened or closed the valve of the feed-hopper must necessarily, through the action of the connecting mechanism, simultaneously coact with the doors G in their various movements.

By the employment of a device constructed substantially as described, grain can accurately be weighed, discharged from the weighing-receptacle, and regularly fed to the rolls, and the device being automatic in its operation, it does not require constant at tention, as a proper register, V, will register the number of times the receptacle has been filled and discharged. It will naturally follow that while there is sufficientgrain in the feedhopper to keep the valve R open, the doors G must also remain open and the valves F closed; hence admission of grain to the receptacle is regulated by the valve B when the meter and feeding devices are conjointly employed.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. Ina grain-meter, a weighing-receptacle supported from a scale-beam and provided with an upper receiving and a lower discharge opening, a'stationary hopper supported over the receiving opening, two hinged cut-oft valves in the stationary hopper, two hinged doors at the discharge-opening,a vertical sliding bar secured by guides to the weighing-re ceptacle, crank-connections between said sliding bar and the cut-olf valves and the doors at the discharge-opening, a detent engaging with the sliding bar,and a stop to release said detent automatically by the vertical drop of the loaded receptacle, all substantially as described.

2. The combination, in grain-meters, of a scale-beam, a grain-receptacle suspended in the scale-beam, a stationary hopper located in the receiving-opening of the receptacle and provided with hinged cut-oft valves, a receiving-hopper located beneath the weighing-receptacle, a hinged and counterweighted valve arranged to regulate the feed from said hopper, hinged doors at the discharge-opening of the grain-receptacle, and of connection between said valve and doors and the cut-off valvesin the stationary hopper,whereby the admission of grain to the receptacle is regulated by the valve in the receiving-hopper beneath the receptacle, substantially as described.

3. In a grain-meter, an oscillating grain-receptacle, cut-01f valves and hinged doors,and, as a means for controlling the action of the receiving and discharge openings thereof, the sliding bar K and a spring-actuated detent-,N, in combination with an adjustable stop, P, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combinatiomwith the counterpoised grain-receptacle provided with hinged doors G and a fixed hopper provided with cut-off valves, of a vertical notched bar sliding in guides on said receptacle,connections between said bar and said doors and cut-off valves,the detent N, and stop P, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination,with the counterpoised grain-receptacle provided with hinged doors G and a fixed hopper provided with cut-01f valves, of a vertical notched bar sliding in guides on said receptacle, connections between said bar and said doors and cut-off valves, the spring-actuated detent N, and adjustable stop P, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

JOSEPH BISHOP DUTTON.

Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, CHARLES J. HUNT. 

